More Common Locksmith Questions Answered

Common Locksmith questions I am asked
AC Locksmiths Norfolk

 What is Lock Snapping?

This is a particularly vile form of attack burglars use to break in where the house has a upvc or composite door (any door where you lift the handle before locking). The intruders use simple tools to rip the handles off the door and then break the lock itself to gain access to a small lever inside the door that unlocks all the hooks and bolts. It takes less than 60 seconds with ordinary hand tools. If you have a upvc or composite door, look just below where your key fits and you will see a brand name. If you do not also see the British Standard Kitemark, you are definitely at risk of this type of attack. Moreover, I have come across some kite marked locks that still fail to protect. You should always consult your local locksmith when upgrading locks as they have the knowledge and experience to sort the good from the bad. At the time of writing, AC Locksmiths Norfolk are upgrading superior locking euro cylinders to properties in Sheringham and Holt.

How long does it take to fix a broken lock?

This really depends on the lock. Some of the simplest cabinet locks with small parts and tight springs can take surprisingly long if you don’t want to damage the expensive furniture they are housed in. Sometimes, a part inside may have broken and gotten itself lodged out of sight. In my experience, half of the repairs I do are routine and half throw up something completely unique, or at least very uncommon. Just the other day, I was working on a composite door in Fakenham where the only way I could get the door open was to hammer the hooks into the open position as a gear had broken and become stick within the locking mechanism. Doing this with all the wrong angles and trying to preserve the door as well slows a job down. There is a quick way to do every job. If we are taking a long time, it’s because we care about your property. Time frustrates us as well. For a locksmith, there is nothing worse than leaving one job knowing you are already late for the next one, especially in rural areas where phone signal problems deny you the chance to explain to that next customer.

How long should I expect to wait in an emergency?

This all depends on how large an area your locksmith covers, time of day and what work the locksmith is currently doing. Larger companies and the Nationals who sub-contract can usually find someone to be with you within 2 hours, but it is surprising how often people get a call near the end of those two hours to say their locksmith has broken down! A genuine local locksmith can usually be with you in a sensible time. For example, my base is in Holt and if you need me to attend an emergency in Aylsham or Cromer, I can usually get to you easily within the hour. If you need me in Downham Market, or Stalham, or Caister, then you need to expect me to take an hour and a half to two hours. If I am working on a job when you call, I will give you a realistic expectation of time and update you as often as possible. If that time is too long, I will suggest another locksmith, but I can neither guarantee their ability to get to you sooner or the quality of their work.

Do you carry the parts to fix my locks?

In almost all cases we can fix or replace your lock, and if we can’t fix it on the first visit, we can make your door secure until we have had a chance to order the parts required. Carrying everything for every occasion would mean towing a small DIY store around with us! Before writing this blog today, I attended a property in Fakenham where they need a completely new mechanism for their composite door. The brand they need has about 20 different variations of mechanisms and that brand is only one of about 15 common brands, so I have locked their door and rendered it usable in emergencies only. The new part will be with me tomorrow. There is no additional charge for the second visit, just the cost of the part itself and my standard flat fee. Beware, some locksmiths will charge labour for every visit.

Do you cover evenings and weekends?

Yes. AC Locksmiths Norfolk is a 24/7 365 day per year service. However, I am human. I do like to celebrate peoples’ birthdays and observe other traditions and even sometimes get to go on holiday. My phone is always on me. If I cannot cover emergencies, my voicemail will tell you so. If I am away and cannot answer the phone, for non-emergencies always leave a voicemail and if possible, back it up with a quick text and I will get back to you with honest advice, and/or work timeframe estimations. Unlike many other locksmiths, my flat fee labour charge is fixed. So if you have an emergency on Sunday evening in Dereham, the labour charge will be exactly the same as if you call me out on Wednesday morning from Reepham. Pricing for distance is a little different when dealing with car keys due to the minimum amount of time they take to produce, but when you call me, you can be sure you are getting a fair price.

Should I change the locks when I move home?

Yes. If the home has had people living in it before you, you just cannot know how many copies of keys have been made. I once changed locks for a couple in Norwich who after having been moved in for six months, found a neighbour ‘just checking’ their home after they had not arrived back at their usual time. This neighbour had been given a key by the previous owner to use in emergencies. If you move into a new home on a large complex, the developer will have fitted the same brand and types of lock in all the houses on that development. Statistics show that several properties will have keys that open other properties on the estate. Best to change to a completely different brand and upgrade.

What are the insurance requirements for homes in the UK?

For wooden doors, insurance usually states a five-lever mortice lock on all final exit doors or a kite marked equivalent. Basically, if the locks on your wooden door do not have kite marks, then they are probably not covered unless you have a special agreement because of preservation orders, etc. Some five lever mortice locks do not have kite marks and are fine with your insurance, but make life so much easier for the burglar. Be very careful when looking at ‘smart’ locks as many will actually downgrade your security. For upvc and composite doors, there is no kitemark requirement for most insurers, but having kite marked cylinders might well reduce your premiums. For peace of mind, you should always upgrade to kite marked products. At a time when we are all worried certain standards will drop after we leave the EU, rest assured, in many cases the kitemark outstrips EU standards in the area of locks. Insurers will try all things to get out of paying. If you have a kite marked lock and the burglar does manage to defeat it, the insurer might inspect your home and find another lock that does not meet standards and refuse to pay because you have a lock that does not conform. All ground floor windows should have locks and most insurers will insist on first-floor windows as well with a note that all accessible windows be lockable. If you have children of any age, window locks or cable restrictors are highly advisable anyway as kids are very good at falling from windows and they make such a fuss when bones break!

If you have any questions regarding the above, please don’t hesitate to get in contact via any of the usual methods found on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading
Alan,
AC  Locksmiths Norfolk

admin November 22, 2019

British Standard Kitemark / broken locks / emergency locksmith / lock snapped / locksmith emergency / Locksmith questions /

Locksmiths Most Commonly asked Questions

 

AC Locksmiths Norfolk

 

Locksmiths most commonly asked questions:

Do Skeleton Keys open all locks?

A key to open all locks is only found in magical fantasy. Even us locksmiths need many different lock picks for the different types of locks we come across, so that hero you see on the TV who carries a few needle-like implements in a little pouch, is only making a small representation of what is really needed, and even then, the speed shown would be for very easy, smooth running locks. That being said, each lock type and brand have a finite number of combinations and if you were to try your house key in enough other houses using the same brans and lock type, you will find houses that you can enter with ease. This is an important point when moving into a newly built home on a large estate. The average new house comes with front, back and patio doors. A 500 house estate means around 1500 locks and the developer will use the same brand and lock type on every one of them. Locking doors to garages and sheds could easily make that 2,500. With that many locks, the statistics say there is an extremely good chance someone else’s key on that estate will fit your lock. So, it is very good advice to change your locks, even on a new home, preferably to a different brand to all the rest.

How will the locksmith gain entry?

There are many ways to bypass a lock. You might even want to see for yourself how it is done. Please do not be offended if the locksmith asks you to step away while he works. Some techniques require a learned feel or special technique. Watching the locksmith work can show people how to get into other people’s homes which is not really a morally good thing. Also, watching the locksmith and trying to replicate what they do next time, might lead to bigger complications and an even bigger bill. Besides, if they are given room to concentrate, they can work faster, getting you in quicker.

Why do locksmiths charge so much?

Hopefully, you only see the locksmith for a very short time. What you don’t see are the endless hours driving between jobs. It is very that two people have an emergency next door to each other and usually the case that a locksmith will criss-cross his patch several times in the same day. In cities, the patch may be small but the traffic will be horrendous and rurally, the patch is much bigger due to lack of population density. On top of that, locksmiths need to keep up with the latest changes in law and products, keep on top of their own accounts, maintain their vehicles, replace tools and nowadays, write blogs! There might be additional training programs. This doesn’t just mean the cost of the course itself, but losing however many days work the course entails. Then there is the time spent ordering parts online or time spent in shops purchasing tools, etc. As a cost example, I have to do two jobs a month just to pay for the chisels and drill bits I will need to replace each and every month. So you can see, there is a lot more cost involved than just the time the locksmith spends with you.

If I have my locks changed, how many keys do I get and where do I get more cut?

Most locks come with two or three keys. If you are booking a lock change for a future date, it is wise to get the number of keys you require ordered with the lock. This way, you can guarantee the keys will have been tested in that lock before they get to you. Some locksmiths can cut keys on site which again is a sure way to see they are tested. The alternative is to go to your local engraver/cobbler who will usually provide key cutting services. But here you are chancing your luck because you will have to wait until you get home to try the keys and if they don’t work, you have to go all the way back to the shop again, still, with no guarantee, it won’t happen again. Chances are, key cutting outlets will not use genuine branded blanks either. You might think chain key cutters would be the best option but these have high staff turnover and very basic training. Every time I have been recalled to a faulty lock that I have installed, the problem has been poorly cut keys from chain stores. If getting keys cut, always ask for genuine branded blanks that should show the same brand name on the head of the key as the one you getting copied. Many will tell you the non-brands are just as good, but this just isn’t so. Demand genuine. Leave a deposit and pick up the keys a couple of days later if needed. This could save you a much more pricey second visit from the locksmith. Never use an already copied key to cut another. If you have lost your original keys, get a new lock an order the appropriate number of keys with it.

What is British Standard and why do I need it?

British Standard or BS3621 is a rating for the effectiveness of locks against certain attacks that include; picking, drilling, slipping, bumping and a whole host of other terms you might not be familiar with. Your home insurance will demand your locks on wooden doors to be up to this standard. While it is not an insurance requirement for doors where you have to lift the handles before locking, every locksmith will correctly tell you that you should a BS3621 lock on these doors as well because, without them, the intruder can enter your home in under 60 seconds with no power tools. Even if the intruder does get in through a BS3621 rated lock, your insurance might not pay out if another door on your house is not up to standard, so check now that all your final exit doors have a BS3621 kitemark.

What is a fair price for my locksmith?

This is a bit of a minefield. The nationals will charge more because they have to make their profits, pay office staff and pay the locksmith they sub-contract to do the work, but they will do the work that saves you ringing several people in an emergency, and many local locksmiths rely on the work that comes in from the nationals while they get themselves established. That aside, locksmiths seem to have a standard rate, evening rate and through the night rate, plus weekend rates and bank holiday rates. If possible, you should check the locksmith’s website to see if they have any indication of what you might expect to pay. Personally, I have one rate no matter what time of day of what day of the week it might happen to be. But if you have the time, you should ring two or three locksmiths. The cheapest one will probably be the least experienced or hiding costs until he gets there. The most expensive one will be overpricing and you should usually go with the one in the middle, especially if these prices are wildly different. Be sure to get a quote on the phone, a revised quote once the locksmith has visually assessed the job, and find out if the price includes VAT. You also want the locksmith to inform you if anything happens that will cause a price increase. The locksmith should tell you about any potential price increase reasons before continuation.

How long does it take the locksmith to open my locked door?

This can be seconds to a very long time. Locks are often worn, rusty or might have something causing a jamb. The locksmith is wary of damaging your door so they will take time and care to make sure the job is done quickly with the least amount of damage. A simple latch lock might be opened in seconds, but a seized multi-point locking system can be very difficult to open without causing damage to the door. Rest assured, the locksmith wants to get you in just as quickly as you want to be in yourself. With car locks, the picks require the feel of springs inside the lock itself. If the lock is old, this feel can be difficult, or if the internal workings are too loose, the individual parts can keep passing beyond their opening point, making a three-minute job last an age. Patience is your only requirement.

Why do I need to pay on the day?

You are paying for a service and often new products. Most locksmiths are sole traders and unable to run back accounts like big companies. The costs of materials and van/tool maintenance keep things tight all the time. We just cannot add tracking who owes what where and when all the time in addition to everything else. Now that doesn’t mean we are heartless and unsympathetic to those who just don’t have the means to pay in an emergency situation. If you genuinely cannot pay on the day, make the locksmith aware before work commences and something can usually be worked out, but be aware, should you not pay the locksmith within an agreed time, he may well charge late payment fees or you might just find yourself paying more should you need that locksmith in another emergency.

if you think of anything else you would like to know please contact us:

AC Locksmiths Norfolk
07846643176

admin November 9, 2019

gain entry / Getting keys cut / locksmith charges / Locksmith questions / Most commonly asked locksmith questions /